The CAQ government refuses to exclude the Magpie River from places that could potentially host a hydroelectric dam, despite the lack of social acceptability.
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On Tuesday, the Legault government rejected a Parti Québécois motion demanding that Quebec give up building a new hydroelectric dam on the Magpie River, located on the North Shore.
According to the PQ, the Magpie River is one of the most important rivers in the territory because it conceals grandiose wild landscapes and because it holds its international reputation from its immense recreational tourism potential.
However, the government maintains the vagueness and could harness the Magpie if Hydro-Quebec estimates that it has an interesting hydroelectric potential.
“What is important is that we do things in order. We asked Hydro-Quebec what the major potential works are. There are more than 40 rivers in Quebec, we are not going to address the rivers one after the other. We will let our colleagues do their job,” said Energy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon, saying he was aware that the Magpie is an important river for Quebec.
“We are going to go there in block and one day we will be able to disclose, perhaps, where the dams could be made.”
According to the PQ MP for Matane-Matapédia, Pascal Bérubé, Quebec thus keeps the door open for hydroelectric development on the Magpie.
“However, it is one of the greatest consensus in the middle that I have seen. At the same time the natives, the whites, the economic environment… Everyone is behind this project (protecting the river). It is one of the highest rated rivers in the world in National Geographic,” he said. “She has an almost mystical character.”
Decarbonize
For his part, the Minister of the Environment recalls that Québec must achieve its greenhouse gas reduction objectives and that it will need new energy potential.
“For that, we must decarbonize industry, we must decarbonize our transport. So we will need a greater energy potential in the coming years. But this is the evaluation that Hydro-Québec is currently doing, I cannot decide until this evaluation is completed,” indicated Benoît Charette.
“There is currently no project on the Magpie River, but before excluding any river whatsoever, we must complete the assessment that is made by Hydro-Québec.”
The Minister responsible for Relations with First Nations and Inuit, Yan Lafrenière, believes that there are several Nations that are raising their hands to work on energy projects with the Government of Quebec. He assures that a project must however have social acceptability and consensus.
“If there is no social acceptability, there will be no potential dam, that’s what the PM said,” reiterated Mr. Lafrenière.